Sera has been talking about her "big family" lately and her new favorite activity is to have mommy "draw names," specifically family names. She talks about her extended family frequently and loves doing "show and tell" with them over Skype. It was fun watching Sera interact with her cousin when we visited in May. Seeing her emulate his behaviors and watching her stare at him playing video games made us realize how much we were missing. We don't want Sera to be one of those kids who never knows her family. Who only sees her grandparents once a year and knows nothing about them. We also don't want to be one of those families who live in isolation. Plus, I've lost 40% of my family of origin and I am required to help Sera feel an attachment to her grandparents through stories. I want her to have memories and experiences. Not just stories.
After much discussion, Craig and I have decided that we will be moving back to Fredericksburg in 2016. I'll open a practice in Spotsy and Craig has a lead on work. And we'll be with our families.
So here is a list of things that are awesome about Oklahoma. Things that I will truly miss about Oklahoma. I am not going to number these because they are not ranked and I don't want them viewed as such.
- Cherry limeades- I know they have these in Virginia, but Sonic is everywhere here. I could probably drive to any of 4 Sonic restaurants within 10 minutes from my office.
- Bricktown- It really is a nice place for movies, sight-seeing, walking (and floating), playing and eating.
- The Oklahoma City Zoo- I received a zoo membership several years ago and we have taken advantage of the Mathis Brother's deal that offers a discounted membership every May. For being a small city, the Oklahoma City Zoo is wonderful. The new elephant habitat is spacious and beautiful and we have enjoyed seeing the baby elephants. I love the cat forest and hearing the lions roar in the mornings. The grizzly bears are playful and are often found in the water, splashing about or taking a bath. Sera loves the train, the carousel, the playgrounds, and feeding the ducks, geese, and massive catfish in the lake. The zoo is about 15 minutes away and parking is free and numerous. It's hard to believe that our nearest zoo is an hour away.
- Wild sunflowers- In Oklahoma, sunflowers grow alongside the road and highway like weeds. It adds a bit of whimsy to the ride.
- Oklahoma generosity- People here are so eager to help, especially after a disaster. Which leads to.....
- Oklahoma resiliency- When people's homes are destroyed in a tornado, they rebuild. Some lost their homes more than once. And non-Oklahomans ask, "Why don't you move?" But most Oklahomans have deep family ties here and they've always lived in a world of tornadoes, heat waves, and wild fires. It will take more than a couple F-5s to break that spirit. (Plus, you would never tell a kid...."You tried to ride your bike and you skinned your knee both times? Are you a glutton for punishment? Stop riding your bike!")
- Braum's- Imagine someone combined Baskin Robbins, a fast food eatery, and a grocery store with damn good produce and you have Braum's.
- The Lyric Theater and Chesapeake Energy Arena- We've seen concerts, musicals, comedians, and Walking with Dinosaurs at these locations. Like the zoo, I would have to travel at least an hour for similar entertainment when we move back to VA.
- Being a "regular"- People recognize me. And I'm not going to these places daily. It's monthly. Cashier at the chicken restaurant always knows my order. The pharmacy tech felt sorry that my prescription was late, but because she knew me, she waived the charge. My doctor never has to look at her electronic records before she enters the room and asks about Sera, Craig, and my practice. (And no, she's not looking it up between appointments. I can here her go directly from one exam room to the next)
- Oklahoma wildlife- Thankfully, I have never seen a tarantula. But I have been thrilled to see roadrunners, alligator snapping turtles, and armadillos. We've even had a couple mountain lions.
- Lake Hefner- Sera and I used to go here for walks after Kindermusik. We'd travel down the paths and walk to the lighthouse. As she got older, Sera has enjoyed the playgrounds (with the lion shaped water fountains)
- Sera's day care and teachers- Sera has been at 3 day cares and I cannot think of a single complaint about any of them or anyone who worked there.
- Oklahoma traffic- It may take 30 minutes to get from one end of town to another, but that is 30 minutes of constant motion. Traffic is rare. If you approach an accident, the city is laid out so well that there are always five or more alternate routes to take.
- The Gentner- We become very familiar with The Gentner every April through June. Weathermen and women load up their cars when the forecast calls for severe weather. Then they storm chase- driving all over Oklahoma. As far as I can tell, the Gentner helps the weather people communicate with news stations and document storms. If a funnel cloud forms, you'll hear them say excitedly, "Let go to so-and-so on the Gentner" or you'll hear the weather people yell, "Go to my feed!" One time, my brother in VA told me they were under a tornado warning, which means a tornado was sighted. So, I went to the local news website, hoping to hear how close it was to him. Talk show. No news. No divided screen of people storm chasing. No blow-by-blow accounts of the tornado from birth to dissipation.
- My providers- Once I called my doctor with a sinus infection at 9. I had an appointment for 9:30 that same day. I was back at work a little after 10. Target notified me that my prescription was ready within the hour. I am typically able to get a same-day appointment with my primary doctor and I have never waited more than 20 minutes to see her. My psychiatrist is collaborative and likely the most knowledgeable psychiatrist I have ever met.
- Free family activities- We have been able to do so much free stuff with Sera. Children's concerts. Fireworks. Arts and crafts. Santa visits and pictures. Even a visit to a farm/amusement park-type place.
- Goats and chickens- Chickens are big out here. Lots of people have chickens. Some have show chickens. Several houses also have goats and I've seen bunches of houses use goats to clear brush.
- Oklahoma City Thunder- I'm not big into sports, but I'll follow the Thunder. I hope I can see a live game before I leave. I think the team is giving and humble and I can't think of anything that would make Kevin Durant a bad role model. He doesn't see himself as a celebrity (despite tons of endorsements) and once joined a group of college students for flag football.
- Housing prices- Houses are half the price with twice the space when compared to VA.
- The buffalo- All over Oklahoma City, there are buffalo statues painted in different designs or themes, often matching the location of the statue.
- Friends- We've met lots of friends out here. Friends who brought us food when we were going through a tough time. Friends who offered to watch Sera so Craig and I could go out. Friends that mowed our lawn when Craig was sick. Friends who took Sera to school because I couldn't get out of work and Craig had a doctor's appointment. Despite being generous, they are awesome people and I'll miss them a lot.
Since we've made this decision, I've found myself getting nostalgic about Oklahoma. I never thought I'd miss it, but I will. It grows on you. Despite the tornadoes, the brain eating amoeba, the highest number of police shootings, and the fascination with lamb fries, Oklahoma and the people in it have treated us like we're home, even if I never called it that.
Now, I just need help on finding office space in Spotsy and finding someone to take over my office/practice when I leave here.
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